Lead rulemaking and interim policy
In 2023, Washington passed the Toxic-Free Cosmetics Act (TFCA) (Chapter 70A.560 RCW). This law restricts the manufacture, distribution and sale of cosmetic products containing intentionally added lead and lead compounds and impurities present at 1 part per million (ppm) or above.
In 2024, we took these actions in response to manufacturers' concerns that some cosmetic products couldn't consistently meet the 1 ppm statutory lead limit yet:
- Issued an interim policy to provide alternative paths for compliance with Washington's Toxic-Free Cosmetics Act.
- Announced a rulemaking to determine a feasible approach to regulating lead impurities, including potentially changing the statutory lead limit.
In 2026, we intend to focus our rulemaking efforts on collecting and analyzing existing data on lead levels in cosmetic products. The data we receive will inform next steps.
Our initial focus will be on two key data sources:
- Scientific literature and other publicly available studies on lead levels in cosmetic products.
- Data from manufacturers using the interim policy.
The interim policy provides a way to collect data for color cosmetic and clay mask products that don't consistently meet the policy's Option 1 lead threshold of 5 ppm. We'll use this method to collect data from a subset of companies that notified us of their use of policy Option 2. We anticipate calling in data during the summer and fall of 2026.
Later this year, we will assess data gaps and data needs. We may request voluntary data submissions from manufacturers and other interested parties to help fill those gaps.
We anticipate the agency will extend the interim policy on lead in cosmetics to align with the rulemaking timeline, and we expect to decide and communicate about a policy extension by this fall.
The Seattle Reign of Style is an annual event that celebrates the beauty and art of braiders, barbers, stylists, and makeup artists with creative showcase performances and judged categories.
Ecology and the Department of Health hosted a table to share information about TFCA and safer products. Ecology staff also co-presented on the main stage with stylist Shayla Robinson—highlighting safe and stylish hair color options and chemical exposures in beauty products. Through these efforts, attendees learned how beauty in Washington is both empowering and safer for everyone.
Attendees were also invited to complete a survey
about which products are important to them and how we can best support stylists and small businesses.
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TFCA Posts & Publications
Here are our social media posts and new or updated publications in the first quarter of 2026.
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COSMED Congress of Regulatory Experts
Shari Franjevic, Ecology's TFCA Implementation Lead, presents virtually on April 2nd.
This conference is one of the largest gatherings of cosmetics manufacturers on regulatory issues. Shari partners with Caleb Carlson from the Solid Waste Management Program to discuss Washington's Toxic Free Cosmetic Act, formaldehyde rulemaking and lead policy and rulemaking, related priority product evaluations, and post-consumer recycled content. The presentation is available on our TFCA stakeholder's webpage.
Shari Franjevic
TFCA Implementation Lead
Washington’s Toxic-Free Cosmetics Act reduces human and environmental exposure to toxic chemicals by restricting certain chemicals and supporting businesses in reformulating and certifying products and switching to safer alternatives. For more information, visit ecology.wa.gov/TFCA.
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